Mercedes-Benz starts car production at new Brazil plant

German luxury car-maker Mercedes-Benz has started production at its new plant in Brazil. The first vehicle to roll off the production line this summer is the C-Class Saloon, followed by the GLA compact SUV.

The new plant, located at Iracemapolis in the Sao Paulo metropolitan area, is part of Mercedes-Benz's global assembly network. This network also includes the production facilities in India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.

"Mercedes-Benz do Brasil has been firmly established here since 1956. The opening of a new assembly plant 60 years later is a strong commitment to this location and rounds off the product spectrum: this move will see Mercedes-Benz locally producing passenger cars in addition to trucks and buses," said Philipp Schiemer, president, Mercedes-Benz do Brasil in a statement.

Mercedes-Benz achieved record sales in Brazil in 2015. The company has made an investment of over BRL 600 million in the new plant, which has created over 600 jobs in the beginning. The plant is designed for an annual capacity of 20,000 vehicles. The company's plant in Pune, India also produces the C-Class.

"The global production network of Mercedes-Benz cars comprises 26 locations which are organised in production compounds according to the vehicle architecture," said Markus Schafer, member of the Divisional Board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Manufacturing and Supply Chain Management. "With the local production, we are strengthening our global competitiveness and will be closer to our Brazilian customers and their needs for passenger cars of the premium brand Mercedes-Benz."